MANCHESTER UNITED wouldn’t be able to afford Gareth Bale if they wanted to sign the winger this summer.

According to reports Bale has been a long-time United target for executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and the 29-year-old has been linked with a Madrid exit this summer having publicly hinted at uncertainty over his future several months ago.

Real do not want to lose the wide-man, who scored two crucial goals in their Champions League win over Liverpool in May, after Cristiano Ronaldo’s £88million move to Juventus earlier this month.

Los Blancos are reportedly chasing Chelsea’s Eden Hazard but the Spanish club are keen to see ex-Tottenham attacker Bale fulfil the potential he has always had to become their main man.

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The wages he is on, he’ll have to take a massive wage cut to go elsewhere.

Craig Bellamy

And Bellamy insists that even if United were to press ahead with a move for Bale, an unlikely scenario as it stands with Jose Mourinho believed to be focused on utilising his transfer funds at centre-back, that they would be hard-pressed to afford Bale who is thought to be on £350,000-a-week after tax at the Bernabeu.

“Where could he go? Man United can’t pay his wages, nobody can. There’s only one club that can pay his wages,” Bellamy told the Daily Star.

“That’s the world he’s in at this moment. The wages he is on, he’ll have to take a massive wage cut to go elsewhere.

“And I’m sure he would do but realistically then is someone then going to go and buy him?

“How can a club go and spend £80m, £90m?

Gareth Bale scored a stunning overhead kick in the Champions League final in May (Image: GETTY)

Gareth Bale next club odds: Who could sign Real Madrid star?

Tue, July 24, 2018

Express Sport takes a look at which clubs Gareth Bale could go to next (odds provided by 888sport)